February 15, 2007

Europe Takes the Lead in TeleMedicine

Medical help delivered by the Internet is going to be a huge industry, absolutely huge. A small investment in this research today can reap enormous dividends. And much of the chip and networking technology needed was developed in the U.S.

But we're giving that lead away, because it's Europe that is making the investment.

The World of Always On, which consumed many of my efforts in 2003-2004, posits using a WiFi network as a platform for applications which live in the air. RFID chips, sensors, and motes in our environment, and in us, constantly report via wireless data radio to programs that are always-on, perhaps in the WiFi router itself. These programs analyze the data, and give alerts when conditions warrant, perhaps to the patient, or a caregiver, a doctor, or an ambulance.

In the SOPRANO Project 600 people across Europe will test the technologies, aiming to find solutions that work, user interfaces that are comfortable, and an a defined application platform that can then be used by industry.

The company leading the effort, Tunstall,
has been trying to deliver this monitoring in traditional ways, through
ideas like Medic-Alert bracelets. The problem is that these devices
collect very little data, they need patient interaction in order to
become active, and they can only tell remote caregivers that a patient
has problems -- they are no use in diagnosis.

That's not good enough. Fortunately Tunstall, which also has an office in Canada and a distributor in Florida, understands this, and is putting its profits to work trying to do better.

There are other areas, beyond Always On, where work is proceeding in England. NeXOS,
a system developed in Yorkshire, England, is a robotic exoskeleton that
can be programmed in such a way that it can teach physical therapy to
patients, without having a highly-paid physical therapist on staff.
This brings important exercise classes closer to people with spinal
injuries and stroke victims. It also lowers the cost, broadening the
base of people who can get the therapy.